This can’t be happening. There was no warning; no time to prepare. When we look around at the carnage that remains, we are numb, our mind is reeling and we ask, Why? Why has this happened?
And we are left to struggle in the darkness of the night with the tremendous loss that has smashed into our existence. We were not prepared.
But is there ever a way to prepare for the tragedies that occur – that snatches away a loved one before their time or turns our world upside down and inside out leaving us feel as though we have fallen into the surreal world of Alice in Wonderland.
Throughout our lifetime there will be moments of despair when we look at the remains of a life we have worked hard to construct that has been destroyed by a senseless act, an unexpected accident on the freeway, or an act of violence that took the life of a loved one. Perhaps we have been told our child has an untreatable condition, or that our spouse has an aggressive cancer, or a troubled family member has taken their life. Perhaps we hear the words, I want a divorce, or our finances have been wiped out. The list goes on and on. The world as we knew it has come to an end.
And in the darkness of the night we struggle to believe and understand. Why? Why Lord? It doesn’t make sense.
And like Job, we angrily confront God because we believed we had done all the things we were supposed to do and feel that life with all its unfairness has targeted us with undeserved and unjustified pain and suffering.
And in the darkness of the night we lay awake and wrestle with our doubts and fears. Are you real God? And if you are, do you really care? We struggle to believe as our mind is assaulted with unanswerable questions.
And a darkness creeps into our soul and stains the values and core beliefs we have about God and life in general.
The Challenge of Pain and Loss
It is there in the darkness of our soul where we realize we have a choice: we can either push God away or run into His comforting arms. It is here, when assaulted with fears and doubts, that we can recognize our need for Him as never before. In our surrender we will find His comfort, love and peace and we begin to understand the love of a Heavenly Father who sacrificed His only Son to die for us on the cross. Does He understand pain? Oh I think so.
It is in the darkness of the night, in the middle of the struggle, in our turning to God that we will be able reconcile, find peace and recover. It is here we gain new strength and resolve and our lives will be enriched as never before.
We live in a fallen world where the unthinkable happens – where there are no easy answers. But in ending the conflict of trying to have all the answers, we can move forward in the comfort of God’s grace and love.
When we have wrestled with our pain and accepted the fact that there are no easy answers, healing and recovery can take root. In our surrender to God, our brokenness can be healed; where we receive new resolve, strength and hope and can begin again.
Working through pain is never easy. But it is where we find healing and recovery.
Marlene Anderson
If you enjoyed this blog post, share with your friends.
Sign up today to receive the entire series: http://eepurl.com/baaiQ1
To Receive a Free Consultation for putting together a Personal Plan of Action for yourself, fill out the contact form beside this blog or send me an e-mail. I am also available for speaking engagements, retreats or teaching workshops for your church, clubs or women’s groups on a variety of topics that affect our lives.